it would be cheaper, and easier, for him to simply transfer and dominate at another school, even if he has to drop a level

Is it certain this isn't what he is going to do? That would make the most sense unless dude just can't handle college anymore or doesn't want to risk an injury.
Saw a report the other day saying verbiage out of LSU seemed to leave the door open for him to return next year.

I smoked pot every day for 10 years. My wife got pregnant and I had to get a job with benefits and they did random drug tests so I had to quit. It wasn't easy quitting. Not as hard as cigarettes but it wasn't easy...

1. it was "synthetic" pot and while I have no direct experience with the stuff, I do have a relative who was in a bad car accident when they freaked while on the stuff.

2. Word is, this was #3. LSU policy for athletes states 1st offense is basically nothing, 2nd is "15% of remaining games that season" suspension ( he missed the Auburn game for a rumored positive test last year ), #3 is mandatory 1 year suspension, entry into a program, etc, and #4 is permanently gone.

3. The football program will not comment on if he has a chance to come back in 2013 or not - despite what USA Today et al say ( they are connected to Glenn Guilbeau, a piece of shit in Shreveport who admittedly just wants to stir the pot ).

As for Tyrann himself, while I firmly believe people are responsible for their own actions no matter their upbringing, do realize that his biological mother is ( or was? ) a drug addict, his biological dad is in jail for murder, his grandpa who was raising him passed away when he was 5, and ever since he has been raised by his Aunt & Uncle ( now know as his real parents ) in a rather rough area.

Those things aren't excuses - they are facts. So when I hear he's in a rehab program, I have to believe its legitimate; not just for addiction, but also to get away from a bad crowd that was rumored he still hung out with despite those folks not even being enrolled at LSU.

As for a 'PR move by LSU to get him back on the team'... well, that's just ignorant. Les Miles kicked Ryan Perrilloux off the team, a starting QB who reminded many of Micheal Vick in college. That loss led to LSU's mess at QB with Jefferson and Lee for the years to come. LSU has only ever had one major violation and it was recently when an assistant coach lined up a JuCo guy to get the apartment of a former player ( note - Hicks, who was just drafted this year by the Saints, paid for the apartment himself ) and made too many calls to said player. Hicks never played a snap and was removed from the team before the season even started, the coach was "allowed to find a new job elsewhere", the incident was self reported, and the self imposed sanctions were actually lightened by the NCAA ( 2 schollie loss down to 1 and such ). LSU doesn't mess around.